Thaw
by Lightstar45
Summary: Six months after the Great Thaw, Elsa is busy beyond belief preparing for the upcoming winter festival. Amongst her preparations, she receives a letter from the King of the Southern Isles, explaining that two of his sons will be attending the festival. When the Queen meets them at the docks, however, she finds someone she never wished to see again. HansxElsa, KristoffxAnna
1. Chapter 1

The sky above the Kingdom of Arendelle was a soft, muffled gray, its usual robin egg's blue hidden by the winter's snow-filled clouds. A gentle chill nipped at the air, but it was hardly given a moment of attention by the citizens that dwelt within the peaceful land. They were all far too excited to let the gloomy, wintery weather get them down. It had been six months since the now Legendary Great Thaw had taken place. Every person, from the smallest infant to the frailest elder, knew the story of how their Queen's magical powers over ice and snow were discovered. Everyone knew the tale of the love between the two Royal sisters that had thawed their fear-riddled Queen's unintentional eternal winter.

And now, exactly half a year since the Thaw, winter had finally arrived and the Kingdom was filled with life as it prepared for the newly named Winter Festival. In years past, they had spent only a single day during winter to pray that they would survive and prosper during the harsh months of winter. But now, that single day of prayer had transformed into a glorious, week-long celebration that would honor the beautiful winter that their Queen held domain over.

There was another cause for celebration, though. This was to be the first major event in Arendelle that their once distant, introverted Queen would organize and participate in actively. Everyone could hardly wait for this auspicious week, the cold of the winter barely noticeable past everyone's excitement and joy. Within the palace, however, the young Queen that the citizens were preparing to celebrate was anything but joyous.

Elsa paced within her study, wringing her thin hands together gently as ice formed on them and a few stray snowflakes fell upon her platinum gold hair. She took in long drawls of breath only to let out small flurries, which made her scowl and pace even more. Sitting at her desk, feet up upon its surface, was her ginger haired younger sister, Anna. The blue eyed Princess was watching Elsa closely, tapping her feet together in rhythm with the woman's footsteps.

"Elsa, just calm down," Anna said softly, lowering her feet and sitting up some. "Everything will be fine. You don't have to hide your powers and everyone knows you mean them no harm, so-"

"I know, I know," Elsa huffed, crossing her arms as she just continued to pace, the beautiful trail of her icy dress gliding along behind her. "But what if I mess up…? What if I get something wrong? What if I ruin the whole festival? What if I lose control? What if-"

"What if, what if, what if," Anna sighed, standing from the desk and going over to Elsa, grabbing her hands and making her turn to face her. "Elsa…you need to stop worrying over the 'what if's' and just relax. You'll do fine. The festival will be fun, beautiful and all around wonderful! The people will be happy, I'll be happy and you'll be happy! And besides…" she smirked before capturing Elsa in a tight hug. "If you lose control again, I'll just give you a BIIIIG, warm hug~!"

Elsa blinked for a moment before chuckling and gently returning the hug. "…I know I shouldn't be concerned," she murmured, resting her chin on the girl's shoulder, "but I just want so badly for everything to go perfectly. I want this festival to be as admired as the ones Father and Mother used to throw before they shut the gates…"

"And it will be. Who knows, maybe it'll be even better with YOU planning it," Anna pulled back, smiling softly at her, "Just don't worry and focus on being happy, okay? This coming week is supposed to be FUN!"

"I know," Elsa returned her smile, nodding.

"Did someone say something about a warm hug!?" Both sisters looked up as the door to the office opened and Olaf the snowman came waddling in, laughing his usual gleeful laugh. He went right up to the two sisters, hugging them both around the legs. "'Cuz I like warm hugs!"

"Yup, we sure did! Elsa's just a little worried about the festival and needed a nice hug," Anna told him with a giggle.

"Oh, well am I helping?" Olaf asked as he tilted his head back, looking at the being who had created him.

Elsa smiled and knelt down, hugging him gently, "You certainly are, darling."

"Good!" Olaf beamed at them, nuzzling into Elsa's hug happily.

"Oh, Olaf, is Kristoff back from getting the ice for the sculpture contest, yet?" Anna asked as she moved down beside Elsa, the snowman looking at her while she spoke.

"I don't think so," Olaf said with a shrug of his twiggy shoulders. "I was just out by the stables and didn't see Sven, so I think they're still out."

"Darn," Anna huffed and plopped onto the floor completely, leaning against Elsa. "I want him to hurry back so I can start planning out my own entry for the contest!"

"You're entering?" Elsa looked at her in surprise. "What are you going to be sculpting?"

"You'll see~! I want it to be a surprise."

"Do you even know HOW to sculpt ice?"

"…Y-you'll see!"

Elsa sighed and placed a hand on her head, "Just don't hurt yourself trying to impress anyone, Anna."

The freckled Princess gave her an accusatory glare. "Hey, just because you can build an entire ice palace with itty bitty tiny little details all over the place in five seconds doesn't mean I can't build an awesome ice sculpture in a week! Trust me, it's gonna be AMAZING! So amazing you'll wanna put it in the city square for everyone to admire and stare at in absolute awe!"

"I don't doubt it for a moment," Elsa said gently, smiling. "Anyway…I should probably get back to work planning out the events for the festival-"

"Ooooh yeeeah!" They looked at Olaf, who stuck his hands into his snowy body before pulling out a stack of letters. "I almost forgot! Miss Gerda asked me to give these to you," he said as he held them up to Elsa.

Anna laughed aloud as Elsa accepted the letters. "Olaf, how did you keep those in you without getting them wet?"

"I have NO idea!" He replied happily.

"Ah, finally," Elsa breathed as she looked through the letters, "I've been waiting on these. RSVP's from diplomats and ambassadors that will be attending the Festival." She continued to flip through them for a moment before she stopped, a small gasp escaping her and her eyes widening. The snow that had stopped falling with Anna's hug began to fall anew, and in a larger quantity than there had previously been.

Anna frowned and hugged her sister's arm gently. "Elsa…Elsa, calm down. What's wrong?"

Elsa gritted her teeth together as she stared at one letter in particular, more snow falling and a bit of ice creeping up the walls. "It's…a letter from the King of the Southern Isles," she finally managed to grind out, frowning as Anna instantly tensed up beside her.

"…What does he want?" She asked hesitantly.

"Two of the Princes will be attending the festival in his place," she growled, the snow picking up when Anna gripped her arm a bit tighter, fear entering the younger girl's bright eyes. Elsa took a deep breath, trying to calm herself before she froze the whole room over. "…I'm sure it's not him, Anna," she tried, attempting to comfort her sister's fears. "There is no WAY they would be stupid enough to bring that slime here. And if they do, they can guarantee that it will be seen as a threat against you, and as such, a threat against our Kingdom."

Anna still looked concerned, but gave a small nod, hugging Elsa's arm even more and cuddling up closer to her. The Queen gave her a comforting hug, stroking her hair and frowning at the ground as Olaf went over to the window.

"Ah, Kristoff's back!" He piped up, drawing their thoughts away from the Southern Delegates that would soon be within their midst. Anna instantly jumped up and ran to the window, Elsa following her gracefully. They looked out of the window together, Anna beaming as she saw Kristoff helping some servants unpack the ice he had collected, Sven drinking from a nearby water trough.

Anna looked back at Elsa, hesitating before giving her one more hug. Elsa sighed, closing her eyes. "Everything will be alright, Anna…just go spend some time with Kristoff and relax."

"Same goes for you. Don't stress yourself out too much planning this whole thing. Remember to get out every now and then and get some fresh air," Anna gave her one more sweet smile before hurrying off to welcome home the man she loved.

Elsa turned back to the window, smiling softly when Anna came running out of the gates and tackled Kristoff, hugging him around the neck and kissing him while he gave her a quick spin in the air. When they parted from the innocent kiss, he set her down and they spoke lovingly to one another as she helped him and the servants unpack the ice.

"…Elsa?"

She looked down in surprise at Olaf, who had been standing beside her the whole time. "Why don't YOU have a Kristoff?" He asked.

Blinking in surprise, she just stood there for a moment before clearing her throat. "There's only one Kristoff, Olaf, and we're not-"

"No, no, I mean, why don't you have someone like Kristoff? Someone you love, like Anna does?" He clarified, staring at her.

Elsa sighed and brushed a hand through her swept back locks. "I do have someone I love, Olaf…quite a few people, actually. I love Anna, I love you, I l-"

"Why don't you have a TRUE love? Why don't you have someone you love and who loves you, like them?"

She closed her eyes, taking in a breath before looking back at him. "…I don't need someone to love like that, Olaf," she murmured, "Nor do I want someone to love in such a way. I am happy loving the people I do now…people who I know care for me the same way, without a doubt. People I have no fear of being…" she trailed off, clearing her throat a bit. "Not everyone is made for that kind of love. Not everyone desires it. Besides…I have an entire Kingdom to look after. My family and my people take high priority over the trivial pursuit of finding someone to share romantic feelings with."

"Are you happy without a true love?" Olaf pressed.

She chuckled, giving him a small but genuine smile. "Of course I am. How can I not be happy, knowing that you, Anna and so many others care for me?"

Olaf was silent for a moment before smiling as well, "As long as you're happy, then I guess it's okay you don't have a true love! Welp, I'm gonna go see if Kristoff will let me ride Sven~"

"Just don't bother him too much if he says no," Elsa chuckled, watching him go waddling back out of the office. She stared after him with a warm smile on her face. She stayed that way for a good ten minutes, only pulling her eyes away from the door when a clock chimed out in the hallway.

"Alright, Elsa…no more playing around," she huffed, pushing aside her dress's trail as she sat down at her desk. "Time to get back to work…" She pulled back the long braid that fell over her shoulder, securing it into a bun at the top of her head so it would stay out of her way as she worked. Once that was done, she picked up her quill and began to look over the papers for the festival, working on organizing all of the events for the week long celebration.

She worked diligently for well over an hour, but the entire time her mind seemed to have a difficult time keeping focus on the task. By the middle of the second hour, Elsa finally sighed and set down her pen, pinching the bridge of her nose as she leaned back in her chair. Eventually, she lowered her hand and stood with a small huff. "Some fresh air won't hurt," she murmured, pushing aside her long, transparent trail and heading for the door.

She made her way down to the main hall, exiting the palace through the now open, welcoming gates that had remained closed for most of her and Anna's lives. She took a deep breath, breathing in the sweet winter chill that filled the air. While it made others shiver in discomfort, it warmed her naturally cold body to feel so at home in the element she controlled.

She walked slowly and coolly through the courtyard, just enjoying the crisp air and watching the servants as they prepared the decorations for the festival. "Ah, a little to the left, if you don't mind," Elsa called up to a man as he was putting a wreath up on one of the courtyard pillars.

He looked around in surprise and instantly nodded. "Y-yes, Your Majesty!"

"Your Majesty, will you be freezing the fountains today or closer to the festival?" One woman asked politely, holding a check list.

"I'll be doing it the night before, to make sure they don't melt," Elsa answered, the woman bowing in thanks before hurrying off.

Energized by the enthusiasm of the busy courtyard, Elsa smiled and continued on her way, heading out into the frost coated city. People greeted her as she passed, bowing and watching in awe as the previously reclusive Queen walked among them, her head held high, her true self there for all to see.

"Your Majesty!"

She looked around to see three children, two little girls and a boy, running up to her. Their mother followed, holding a crying baby in her arms. She turned, smiling as she looked at the children. "Hello there, little ones. How may I help you?"

"C-can we see your magic!?" One of the girls asked enthusiastically.

"Now now, I told you lot, don't bother the Queen! She's probably busy," their mother scolded softly, her baby crying even more.

Elsa raised her hand, shaking her head. "It's no trouble at all. I'm out here on a bit of a break, so I am sure a little fun couldn't hurt at all." She looked at the crying baby, hesitating before stepping closer. Her eyes softened as she stared at the little infant, images of Anna cuddled up in her crib, shortly after she had been born, flashing into her mind.

The Queen extended her hand, not putting it too close to the child, and felt the chill of her powers racing through her veins, spreading throughout her arm until it reached her fingertips. From the burst a soft flurry of large, beautiful snowflakes, each an individual, each just as gorgeous as the next.

The baby instantly stopped crying, staring in awe at the flakes as they drifted around, dancing through the air with a twirl of Elsa's fingers. She stepped back some, the baby and children's eyes all locked on her. She spread her arms, the snowflakes following obediently, growing in number as she slowly moved her arms through the air in graceful, arcing motions. More and more snow came fourth, spiraling into the air slowly, like fireworks too timid to shoot straight up.

The snowflakes grew larger and larger until they began to burst, sending shimmering, snow soft flakes of ice that glittered blue falling like rain stuck in slow motion. The children squealed eagerly and chased the flecks, the baby continuing to just watch in wonder as the beautiful special happened right above its head.

Elsa spun her hands together in quick, circular movements, creating a large ball of snow that she tossed up into the air before striking it with a blast of ice, breaking it up and sending large flakes spiraling down, leaving trails of smaller specks in their wake. More than just the children were watching now. Many people had gathered, watching their Queen in admiration as she preformed her beautiful magic.

"Elsa? Showing off now, are we~?" She glanced over as Anna and Kristoff, who looked like they had been preparing to go out for a walk in the woods, approached. Anna was affectionately hugging Kristoff's arm, much like she had done to Hans when they had requested her blessing for marriage. But, unlike that time, Elsa greeted them with a warm, genuine smile, holding nothing but respect and gratitude towards her sister's lover.

"You say that like it's a bad thing," Elsa chuckled as she tossed up some more snow, turning her hand so a few flakes flew right into Anna's face.

Her sister sputtered, blinking the snow off of her lashes. She stuck her tongue out, Kristoff brushing some flakes off of her ginger hair. "Of course it's a bad thing! You didn't invite me!"

"Oh my, do forgive me," Elsa giggled.

"I don't think that apology was sincere!" Anna huffed, smirking as she scooped up a handful of snow and tossed it at Elsa. It smacked right into the woman's face, gasp passing through the crowd that had gathered, followed by a tense, uncertain silence.

Elsa brought her hands up, slowly whipping the snow off of her face, a few stray strands of her slicked back hair falling onto her now cold-flushed cheeks. She opened her eyes, staring at Anna, her face blank and unreadable. Suddenly, out of nowhere, she twisted and churned her hands around until she created a HUGE snowball, holding it high above her head.

Anna gasped and turned to flee only for the snow to harden at her feet, turning to ice and keeping her trapped on the spot. The next moment, Elsa tossed the snowball, knocking her sister flat off her feet. She landed comfortably in the thick, soft snow below, the big but fluffy snowball covering her up almost entirely.

"Was that sincere enough~?" Elsa asked with a playful grin, the villagers relaxing and chuckling in amusement at the sight of the Princess buried in the snow. Elsa turned, about to return to her small show, when Anna suddenly jumped up and tackled her right to the ground.

They rolled through the snow, both squealing and laughing as they shoved snow in each other's faces, trying to get the upper hand over each other. Their fun ended when they rolled right into a palace guard, knocking him over and into the snow. The two young women sat up, their hair a mess and their clothes covered with snow. "O-oh, we're so sorry!" Anna gasped, though it was clear she was holding back giggles.

"It-it's no trouble at all, Your Majesty, Your Highness," the guard sat up, clearing his throat as he brushed the snow off of his clothing. He bowed apologetically to both of them. "I should have been watching where I was going. I-"

"It's nothing to beat yourself up over," Elsa told him softly, standing and helping Anna up as well. With a flick of her hand, the snow that clung to them and the guard flew off and landed back on the ground. "What is it you require?" She asked of him, straightening her hair as her regal demeanor returned.

He nodded, giving another small bow. "I have come to inform you that the diplomats that will be attending the Winter Festival have arrived and are awaiting your greeting at the harbor."

Elsa blinked in surprise, looking at him. "The… diplomats? But I only JUST received a letter earlier today, notifying me that they would be attending!"

"…Ma'am. Said letter arrived almost a whole week ago. Why did you just now receive it, if I may ask?"

Anna's jaw dropped and she stood in silence beside Elsa for a moment before she snickered, covering her eyes with her hand. "Olaf…" she giggled, Elsa just sighing and shaking her head.

"Please tell them I will be there momentarily," she told the guard, who bowed and hurried off to do as she said.

Elsa let out a long breath, looking at Anna. "I swear…sometimes I wonder if I should've given him his own flurry."

"Elsa!" Anna gasped, playfully swatting at her shoulder.

"Oh, you know I don't mean it," Elsa laughed, nodding a farewell to the crowd of villagers, "But it would have been nice to know that the letter was brought to me almost a week late."

"You know Olaf. He forgets important little details like that," Kristoff put in, accompanying the sisters as they made their way to the harbor to greet the diplomats.

"It's no big deal, at least they didn't come while you were sleeping or doing something important, Elsa!" Anna said as she hurried ahead of them some.

Elsa gave a small laugh, shaking her head. "Sleeping comes before important work now, does it? I-…Anna?" She paused mid-step, staring at her sister's back as the girl froze, not moving even the tiniest bit. They had arrived at the harbor and Elsa could see the white sails of their guests flying overhead, but she could not see what was making her sister tense up like a deer caught by a flash of light.

"Anna…?" Elsa slowly came forward, stepping up beside her sister and looking at her face. She felt her heart give a sharp, painful throb as she saw absolute horror on her dear sibling's normally bright, gleeful face. She followed the girl's turquoise eyes, looking at the harbor ahead of them only to take in a sharp, shocked breath.

The chilly winter air turned downright frigid as ice formed beneath Elsa, growing from small patches to full blown spikes, slowly rising up all around her and Anna. Snow began to fall, slow at first, but quickening the longer she stared at the people standing before them.

Two Princes of the Southern isles had arrived, just like their letter had said. But there was a third member of their group. A tall, handsome man with auburn hair and bright hazel eyes stood between the other two Princes, his hands secured behind his back, a tight fist of each gripping his lean arms to keep him in place.

Elsa felt her breathing quicken, ice crawling up her trembling hands now, which itched to hurl the hardening substance straight at the cockily smirking man. She took in a few, quick breaths, the snow quickening even more as the spikes around her continued to rise.

"Long time no see, Your Majesty," chided the thirteenth in line for the thrown, Prince Hans of the Southern Isles.


	2. Chapter 2

The spikes that had grown at Elsa's feet shot outwards, zooming towards Hans and surrounding him in an icy Prison, his brothers forced to leap back to avoid being impaled. A single spike grew larger than the others, its deadly sharp tip a mere breath away from Hans' neck. "WHAT is this filth doing here!?" Elsa snarled, her hands trembling as she held them out, keeping her control over the ice spikes, ready to kill the man in a single second if need be.

"Queen Elsa, please clam down!" Spoke up one of the brothers, stepping forward some with his hands submissively lifted.

"Clam down!? How dare you expect me to calm down when you have the NERVE to bring this—" her icy gaze narrowed as a growl escaped her lips, "-this trash back to Arendelle!?"

"Please, let us expla-"

"There will be no explanation!" Elsa snapped, the snowfall around her picking up violently, her long braid dancing wildly around her. "You dare to return him to the land he so harmed!? You dare to bring him into my presence? Into my sister's presence!?" Just thinking about the events of six months ago made the Queen want nothing more than to shove the spike right through Hans' throat.

"We know, we know, Your Majesty," the brother said calmly, frowning and taking a small step forward. "I promise you, we mean you, your Kingdom and your sister NO harm. Please release him and give us a chance to explain."

"…Elsa," she flinched in surprise as she felt soft, warm hands touch her arm gently, the heat from them soothing against her freezing skin. She looked over, finding Anna standing beside her now, staring at her with a small, encouraging smile. Her sister leaned against her, hugging her arm and taking her hand, squeezing it comfortingly.

Elsa stared at her for a few minutes before closing her eyes, breathing in and out slowly, the snow storm that had formed around them gradually subsiding. She eventually opened her eyes, looking back at the Princes as she gripped Anna's hand in return. "I will hear what you have to say," she said, voice still terse, but calmer than she had been. "But I will not lower my ice and we shall speak where we are right now."

The brothers looked at one another before they nodded in acceptance. "Very well. Thank you very much for giving us some of your time to explain ourselves, Your Majesty," the eldest of the three males said, giving her a low, polite bow.

"Speak now and speak quickly," Elsa told him coldly. "I don't know how long my patience will hold out."

"…Well first, please allow me to say that there is no number of apologies I can give to let you know just how sorry my whole family is for all that happened," he began, glancing at Anna. "We never expected that Hans would do something like this. He has always been a bit off, but we believed such a thing to be beneath him."

"Clearly it wasn't," snorted Kristoff from behind Anna, gripping the hand of hers that wasn't holding Elsa's. Anna seemed thankful for the support as she kept her angry eyes down, not looking at Hans. Elsa knew she was doing her best to be strong, but she could tell from her pursed lips and the way her hand trembled slightly in her own that the girl was frightened and extremely angry.

Elsa sighed and looked back at the Prince, petting her sister's hand with her thumb comfortingly. "Continue."

"Yes ma'am…well, when Hans was returned to our home, my brothers and I discussed what his punishment should be. We spoke with our father and mother and have been spending all of this time, practically non-stop, trying to decide what to do. And, well, we've finally come to a decision. But that decision rides on your wishes, Your Majesty."

She narrowed her eyes slightly. "What do you mean?"

"Our father," the other Prince, who looked only a bit older than Hans, stepped forward. "Has decided to strip Hans of his title and name and banish him from the Southern Isles."

"And that's a bad thing how?" Kristoff asked, blinking and looking down at Anna in confusion as she jolted some, her eyes widening. "Anna? What's wrong?"

"If he's banished from his home…he has nowhere else to go," she breathed in a mix of fury and horror, her voice quivering. "He could go anywhere…with no one to control or stop him. With no one to make sure he wouldn't come back here or repeat what he did here to another Kingdom…"

Kristoff's eyes widened and he turned his glare onto the Princes. "Why the hell would you come up with a decision like that?! What if he-"

Elsa raised her hand, making the blond fall silent. Her narrowed blue eyes hadn't left the Princes for a single moment as they spoke. Her face was calm and the hand Anna was holding was gradually growing colder, small flecks of ice forming on it.

The Prince gave a small cough, nodding his head in thanks. "P-Princess Anna is correct. This is what we realized when our father decreed Hans was to be banished for his disgraces. We couldn't stand the thought of such an incident repeating, so we've brought him here for you to decide what to do with him, Your Majesty."

Elsa blinked, hesitating before frowning. "Decide what to do with him?"

"Yes ma'am. Hans is banished and no longer a Prince of our Kingdom, but we are still his brothers. And as his brothers, it was up to us to make sure he couldn't go harm anyone like he harmed both of you ever again. So we wish to give him to you, Queen Elsa, to do with as you wish."

"Execute him, make him a servant, keep him locked away, we wish to leave such decisions to you and you alone," the older took up. "It is both a precaution to protect other lands and our way of apologizing for his deeds with more than just words."

"W-wait!" Elsa looked at Anna who, although still clearly upset, looked more aghast now than anything. "You would give your own brother up to such things? You'd just leave him somewhere where everyone hates him, knowing he might die?" She squeezed Elsa's hand and hugged her arm more securely as she spoke.

"I don't need your _pity_," Hans spat, speaking for the first time since his brothers had begun their explanation.

Anna's shoulders stiffened and she glared over at him. "It's not pity, it's called human decency!" She growled back.

"Like I want that either. Why don't you just shut your ditzy li-"

Ice shot from Elsa's hand, smacking onto the male's face and freezing over his mouth, keeping him from saying another word.

"…We understand and are grateful for your concern, your highness," one of the brothers said softly, giving Anna a small nod. "While we do not agree with this punishment, it was issued by our father, and we have no right to object to it. As much as we wish things could be different, this is the way they are. There is no changing that."

Anna gave an unsatisfied huff, clinging to Elsa's arm and glowering at the ground. Elsa could tell by how tightly she was squeezing her lips together that the fiery young woman was holding back some sort of sharp retort. Elsa rubbed her hand and looked back at the Princes, eyes narrowed.

"And what if I refuse to bring him into my Kingdom?" She asked.

The Princes glanced at each other, the elder of the two sighing. "Father has ordered that, if you refuse to cooperate with his decision for Hans' punishment, he will execute him himself, to avoid the events of six months ago repeating."

"He'd do that to his own son!?" Anna couldn't bite her tongue this time, her shoulders shaking angrily. "What kind of father do you HAVE!?"

"Anna," Elsa murmured, glancing at her, "Peace."

"How!? How can I be at peace when we have to either take him in and figure out what to do with him or send him back home to be killed by his own father!? This is—that's too much, even for someone like HIM!"

Elsa stared at the girl's upset, passionate eyes, sighing softly and closing her own. She stood still for a long time, her hands folded calmly in front of her, her soft chant she had followed all of her life echoing in her head. It was helping to keep her outwardly calm, while on the inside, the storm she wished to be producing swarmed and snarled viciously in her chest and stomach. Anna's words and her own conscious were piling the threat of guilt on her shoulders, should she turn them away and leave Hans to be executed by his own father.

_Even if he is to be executed here, wouldn't it be more merciful for it to happen at the hand of an enemy than his own father?_ She thought, her thoughts now warring against one another as well. _How can you even CONSIDER such a thing?_ The other side of the argument fussed_. Remember what he did? All that he did!? He played with Anna's feelings, left her for dead, tried to kill you…who knows what else he's done that you don't even know about! Letting him stay here for any amount of time will spell only disaster for you, and especially for Anna!_

_But to leave him to such a grizzly fate at the hands of his father…it just doesn't seem right!_ Elsa pressed a hand to her forehead, furrowing her brow and bowing her head slightly. Her other arm hugged her side protectively as she closed her eyes, sighing shakily. The wind and snow was picking up around her once more, the Princes looking slightly intimidated by her stormy silence. _Anna would certainly be upset if I sent him back. She's far too kind and feels empathy for him, despite all he has done…_ She mused silently. _But just think of what might happen to her if he stays here. Even if he is put under severe, constant watch, who knows what could happen!_

"…Um, Your Majesty?"

She snapped out of her thoughts, opening her eyes and looking at the eldest of the two Princes, whose black hair was checkered white with her still falling snow. "If you need some time to decide, that is perfectly fine," he told her. "If it pleases you, we can hold Hans in our ship's Prison until the end of the winter festival. I know this is a very busy time for you, so we would have no qualms if you chose to give us your decision afterwards."

Elsa looked at him, the snow calming slightly, the ice spikes around her and Anna slowly lowering some. After a slight pause, she crossed her arms in a protective hug and took in a slow breath, nodding as she let it back out. "Very well…but I want several of my own guards to be both on the ship and at the docks, keeping an eye on your vessel and Hans. I will take no risks of him escaping into my Kingdom."

"Of course," The two Princes bowed, looking grateful. "We thank you for your graciousness, your Majesty. Please, take all the time you need during the festival to come to your decision."

She gave a sharp, curt nod, watching as the brothers turned and began to lead Hans back onto their ship. The other diplomats that had arrived looked a mixture of confused and concerned as they were greeted by guards and led away to the palace. Elsa watched as Hans was pulled away, her gaze narrowing when the man glanced over his shoulder to toss a glare at her and Anna.

Elsa closed her eyes, taking a deep breath to keep herself from throwing a razor sharp blade of ice at the man's face. _This is-_

* * *

"-RIDICULOUS!" Anna paced around angrily in Elsa's study, her hair undone from her normal braids, its auburn strands frizzing up the angrier she got. "How can those IDIOTS do this!? Punish and kill my son or else I'll lop off his head myself! I mean who does that to their own SON!? I don't care that Hans is the worst sack of-of—Y'KNOW—to ever spawn on this planet! That's just—it's-!"

"I know, Anna, I know…" Elsa sat at her desk, elbows resting on its surface, fingers pressed up against her temples. She sighed, shaking her head. "What a terrible time for this to happen, as well...I never even wanted to see his face again."

"You're telling me," Anna snorted, "none of us did. Did you see Kristoff's face? He looked ready to toss Hans right into the Fjord…" Anna trailed off, sitting on Elsa's desk and staring down at her hands, frowning.

Elsa looked up at her, frowning. "Are you alright, Anna?"

"Of course I'm not," mumbled the auburn haired girl. "…I'm angry, for starters. Seeing him again just makes me think about all that happened. It makes me think about how **stupid **I was, and how much you were hurt because of that stupidity."

"Anna, please," Elsa breathed, standing and walking around the desk, grabbing her sister's hands. She led her over to the fireplace, sitting down with her and gently pulling her frizzy hair back. "You can't blame yourself for what happened," she murmured as she carefully began to style Anna's ginger locks. "No one could have known what Hans was planning."

"But if I hadn't've been so naïve as to fall for him, everything that happened…"

"Don't think of it in a negative light, Anna," Elsa murmured, casting a faint layer of frost over the girl's hair, letting it melt and wet the strands to make them more manageable. "Think of it this way…if none of that had happened, how would WE be now? If you hadn't of pushed me to my limits at the coronation, what would our relationship be like? What would your relationship with Kristoff be like?"

Anna fell still and silent, staring into the fire place as Elsa carefully braided her hair. "..We...would probably still be like we had been all those years. And I—I wouldn't even KNOW Kristoff…and Olaf wouldn't even exist!" She hesitated before biting her lip. "But, we would've been close, all this time, if I hadn't gotten too over exited that time when we were kids…"

Elsa grimaced, pausing in her braiding of her sister's hair. Shortly after the Great Thaw, Anna and Kristoff had taken Elsa to meet the blond ice harvester's family. She could tell then that the affections Anna and Kristoff held for one another were more than simple puppy love, so she had been eager to meet his family…

* * *

"Knowing you, Elsa, you'll probably LOVE Pabbie! He's all quiet and serious but he can still be sweet, just like you! Oh, oh, and I'm sure you'll get along with Bulda! That's Kristoff's mother! She can be kind've invasive and doesn't know the meaning of personal space, but that's what makes her so fun to be around! She's SUUUPER sweet, too, and-"

"A-Anna, I'm sure I'll adore his whole family," Elsa said shakily, looking down in worry, "B-but right now, I'm a bit more concerned about falling off the cliff…" The Queen wound her hands into the thick mane of light fur around Sven's neck, glancing at the nearby cliff in terror as she wobbled uncertainly on the reindeer's back.

"Don't worry, you won't fall off of Sven," Kristoff assured her, smiling and patting his best friend's neck. "He's the best mount there is! Safer than any horse and sturdier than any ox!"

"I-It's not that I don't believe you…" Elsa mumbled, glancing at him, "B-but I-eek!" She dropped herself forward some, clinging to Sven's neck as his back hooves kicked loose a few stones from the Cliffside.

"Elsa, it's okay," Anna sat behind her on Sven, patting her sister's back. "Sven's not like a horse. He's a lot more solid and harder to slip off of 'cuz of his thick fur."

"Do you not like horses?" Kristoff asked, glancing at the Queen. "With Anna's love of them, I'd think you'd like them, too."

"I-I was tossed off of one when I was younger," she mumbled, still clinging to Sven's neck as tightly as she could without hurting him. "I broke my arm and it almost crushed me. I-I don't really like riding on a-anything…"

"Well, we're almost there," Kristoff assured her gently.

Elsa looked at him and gave a small smile. The tough looking man's gentility was one of the things that made him an acceptable match for Anna to her, his respect and care for her sister along with it. She had been hesitant, at first, to accept him and let him live in the palace as Anna wished, but after a few days of spending time with him and seeing the two interact, she knew he was perfect for the girl she cared so dearly for.

She blinked as some steam popped up from the ground beside her, warming the cool nighttime air around them. Elsa turned her eyes forward only to tense up, taking in a sharp breath as she surveyed the valley around them. "…A-Anna…t-this is the Valley of the Living Rocks…"

"Yup!" Anna happily leapt off of Sven's back, racing forward to a large pile of rocks in the valley's clearing. "Hi everyone~! Kristoff and I are back! And I brought my older sister to meet you all!"

Elsa felt her heart begin to sink as the stones rumbled in place before they started to roll around, moving towards Anna and Kristoff. The rocks soon unrolled, coming to life to reveal a huge crowd of crystal adorned trolls, all giving excited whoops when they saw the young couple. "Kristoff's back! And he brought Anna with him!" The trolls swarmed the two, the men greeting Kristoff heartily while the women swooned and cooed over Anna.

"Oh my dear, your hair's back to that gorgeous ginger!" A female troll said gleefully as she unbraided Anna's hair, petting it affectionately.

"Kristoff, did you grow taller?"

"Are you guys getting married yet?"

"When are you gonna give me some grandkids, Kristoff!?"

"Everyone, everyone! Calm down," Kristoff laughed, raising his hands in a calming gesture. "We didn't come for a normal catch up. We came to introduce you to Anna's sister."

All of the trolls fell silent, their eyes brightening eagerly at the thought of meeting their Kristoff's future sister in law. Anna went back to Sven and helped Elsa off, leading the tense woman over to the wave of trolls. "Everyone, this is my older sister Elsa, the Queen of Arendelle," Anna introduced, motioning to Elsa.

Elsa bit her lip as all of the trolls looked at her only for a few gasps to spring up here and there. "The Queen," she heard someone breathe. "The SNOW Queen!" Mutters rippled through the crowd, Anna and Kristoff looking between each other and Elsa in confusion.

The trolls suddenly parted as a large stone came rolling forward, stopping in front of Elsa and unrolling to reveal Pabbie, the Troll King. He looked up at Elsa for a moment before giving a small, polite bow of his head. "Young Elsa. It has been a long time. I am glad to see you are well."

Elsa grimaced, gripping her hands to her chest and keeping her eyes down as Anna looked at her in confusion. "Elsa? Have you met the trolls before?" The girl asked in confusion. "Did you meet them on your way to the North Mountain?"

The Queen remained silent, her hands trembling, her eyes closing tightly. Kristoff's family was these trolls? The same trolls that had taken Anna's memories of her magic…the same trolls that had told her that fear would be her enemy. The same trolls that had set in motion the events that had led to the here and now.

"Yes, young Anna, we have met before," Pabbie spoke softly, still staring at Elsa. "We met when both of you were still young children, though you do not recall said meeting."

Anna blinked, standing there for a moment before tilting her head. "…H-huh? What do you mean, Pabbie?" She asked with a half laugh. "I didn't meet any of you until Kristoff brought me here last month, remember?"

Elsa hugged herself, gritting her teeth as she bowed her head, the pain from that one time when they were children burning anew in her chest. She hunched over slightly, catching Anna's attention and making the girl give a small gasp of worry.

"Elsa? Elsa, what's wrong?" Anna hurried over, placing one hand on the blonde's back and the other around her in a hug. "Are you feeling sick? Should we go back home?"

"Your Majesty," Pabbie breathed, his call making Elsa hesitantly open her eyes, in which tears were forming. "With the thaw of your sister's heart, all ice that remained within her melted with it. Any remnants that could have harmed her have now gone. While I cannot return her memories to how they once were, it is safe for her to be reminded."

Elsa took in a trembling breath as she felt Anna's comforting hands slowly leave her. She glanced up to find the girl looking between her and Pabbie in confusion. "…E-Elsa, what is he talking about?" Anna asked uncertainly. "W-…what memories? Ice that remained in me? What…"

The elder of the two gently cut her off by forcing herself to straighten up, taking Anna's hands in hers and coaxing the ginger to sit with her on the warm earth beneath them. She squeezed her hands tightly, concern entering Anna's eyes when she found her sister was trembling all over. "…Elsa?"

Elsa looked up at her, staring into those soft, loving blue eyes for a few minutes before closing her own and taking a deep breath. "…Anna…you knew about my powers before I lost control at the Coronation," she started, her voice quivering, snow beginning to fall slowly around them.

"…What? No I didn't," Anna protested, looking taken aback. "I-"

"Anna, please," Elsa squeezed her hands, the snow picking up a bit. Anna bit her lip but nodded, falling silent and listening.

"…You had known…about my powers since birth," Elsa murmured, not looking at her. "We grew up incredibly close. My…my powers were a constant source of entertainment for both of us. I would fill the Great Hall with snow and we would play deep into the night. But…but one night, as you were playing…I-…I slipped-" her voice cracked and she fell silent for a moment, breathing shakily, the snow fall intensifying.

"I slipped a-..and hit you in the head with my ice…you fell to the ground, u-unconscious…" tears began to slip down her cheeks, freezing halfway to her chin and falling to the ground, shattering upon impact. "I…I held you…a streak of your hair turned white, and you were as cold as ice! M-mother and father brought us here…to the trolls. And the Troll King…he removed all magic and memories of magic from you…in order to save you…h-he kept the memories of us being close, but…but all memories and knowledge of my powers…"

She took another trembling breath, pressing on with her story. "F-father and mother closed the gates…to limit my contact with people. I confined myself to my room, trying…trying so HARD to control my powers…so I wouldn't hurt you again…" She trailed off, the snow falling around her slowly, sadly, as more tears continued to slip from her eyes and freeze against her icy skin.

After what seemed like an eternity of silence, she slowly lifted her eyes to look at Anna. What she saw before her shattered her heart as if it was made of the most delicate ice in existence. Anna's face was bright red, her eyes wide and filled with disbelief as tears streamed down her face faster than the wildest river ran.

The moment their eyes met, Anna gave a small cry and pulled away from Elsa, going over to Pabbie and grabbing his large hands. "Please!" She sobbed, shaking like a leaf. "Pabbie, please! Give me my memories back! Give them back, _please_!"

"Anna…as I told your sister, I cannot," Pabbie told her, grimacing, his eyes full of pity for the poor girl. "Such alterations cannot be reve-"

"_I don't care!_" Anna cried, shaking her head, "Give them back! I want them back now! Elsa suffered all these years because of ME! I—I w-want-!" She lowered her head, breathing shallowly as a hoarse, painful cry came from her quivering lips.

Unable to stand it, Elsa went right to her sister and grabbed her, pulling her into a tight, protective hug. "Anna!" She sobbed, pressing the girl's soaked face into her shoulder and cradling her in her arms. "Anna, it's okay! It's okay, I've got you…"

"Elsa!" Anna hugged her firmly, shaking her head. "Y-you should've told me! You should've told me! A-all these years—all because of me-!"

"No, no, don't blame yourself, please!" Elsa begged shakily, rocking the girl she held onto so lovingly. "It's not your fault! It's not your fault, Anna…"

Anna lifted her head some, looking at her sister with her large, tear filled blue eyes. "I—I want to remember…" She squeaked out pathetically, more tears pouring down her cheeks. "I don't—I-"

"Shhh…" Elsa cooed, resting her head against the younger girl's, kissing her forehead, "Shhh, it's alright, Anna...We have all the time in the world to make new memories…it's okay…"

* * *

Elsa let out a soft sigh, hugging her sister from behind and rubbing her shoulder comfortingly. "Anna…don't worry about that. We at least still have the memories of being together when we were young, even if my magic was removed from your mind."

"…I'm just glad I know now," Anna mumbled as Elsa went back to braiding her hair. "…You still should've told me sooner," she huffed, giving Elsa a light elbow to the side.

Elsa chuckled and tugged on her hair gently. "So…back to the matter at hand."

Anna frowned and hugged her knees. "…Don't look at me. I have no idea what we should do. On one hand, I don't want to be anywhere NEAR him, nor do I want him to be anywhere near you…and especially not anywhere near the Kingdom. But on the other hand, leaving him to be sent back to be killed by his own dad…it just doesn't seem right. At all."

"We're facing the same dilemma then," Elsa said with a soft sigh, frowning as she continued to braid Anna's hair. "I don't want to give him a single chance to harm you again. I don't want him in your presence, I don't want him to breathe even the same air as you. But…" she sighed, "It's at times like this I despise having a conscious."

"I know right!?" Anna snorted as she looked into the fireplace. "…Y'know, it took everything I had not to go up and punch him. Again."

Elsa giggled, nodding. "And it took everything I had to not impale him with an ice shard. Though, I guess it would have been a bit worse if I had given in, huh?"

"Uh, yeah!" Anna laughed and leaned back against her as Elsa finished braiding her hair. "…Well, it's not like we have to decide right away, right?"

"Right. His brothers gave us until the end of the Winter Festival, so there is plenty of time to consider our options," Elsa lowered her hands from Anna's hair and placed them in her lap, sighing. "I never imagined something like this would happen."

Anna shifted about, turning to face Elsa and smiling softly, taking her hands and squeezing them. "Me neither..but we'll get through it together."

* * *

**Thank you all so much for the positive feed back so far on the story! I hope you continue to enjoy it! 3**


End file.
